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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rest — what's left
  4. spring — the season
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ground — a position
  10. rule — government
  11. charge — a price
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rest — a break
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rule — a law
  19. spring — of water
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rest — what's left
  24. snap — to snap out of it

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com